Exxon Mobil is facing a lawsuit from Connecticut's attorney general over allegedly misleading consumers about climate change for decades.
Connecticut's attorney general William Tong said Exxon Mobil successfully created doubt about the industry's contributions to global warming in a "systematic campaign of deception."
Tong said, "Because they're able to convince large swaths of people in Connecticut and across the country, we didn't adopt those renewable sources of energy, and we didn't move to a carbon-free economy, as quickly as we should have."
Connecticut is the latest state to sue the oil industry over harm that fossil fuels have done to the environment. States argue that heavy financial costs are now being shouldered by taxpayers as government tries to deal with the effects of climate change such as wildfires and flooding.
A spokesperson for the company called the claims "baseless" and said such suits are a waste of taxpayer dollars. The spokesperson added that Exxon Mobil is investing in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while meeting a growing demand for energy.
